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Monday, May 8, 2017

Asking the BIG Question About Your Ministry

Recently, I was visiting with someone who supervises lots of college ministries.  He said he had recently asked one of their team, "What would it take to double our ministry?".  He said the team member was dumbfounded and seemed to indicate it was a silly question.

Really I think there are likely three questions we need to ask:
1.  Am I asking the big question?
2.  What is the big question?
3.  Who or where can help me answer the big question?

It is tempting for me to say all of us need to ask, "What would it take to double our ministry?".  But, it may be there is a different question that you need to ask.  Are you asking it?  Are you willing to ask it?  Asking it may take you somewhere very uncomfortable.

Sometimes others may be key in either helping you answer "Your big question" or even to decide what it should be.  In the early days after coming to Arkansas State, I made two visits.  First, I went to Texas A&M to visit Ron Wells and the Aggie BSU.  Ron was known then as one of the top College Ministers in Baptist life.  I followed him around for two days.  We talked and I watched him.

A bit later on I went to Mississippi State to visit the BSU and to see their Lunch program which attracted 200-300 students each week.  We had just re-started the Lunch program at ASU and I had never led one. Their ministry was led by Ken Watkins and June Scoggins.  Their ministry had "invented the Lunch Program" as a result of the University scheduling an activity period at Noon when there would be no classes.

I cannot remember any specifics out of those two visits.  Those visits answered questions I was not wise enough to ask.  I remember them as shaping in that they helped me ask some "Big Questions" about our ministry.  Some of those questions it took years to answer.

Are you asking the BIG questions?  Are you looking for someone to help you answer them.....OR first, help you even know what YOUR big question ought to  be.

Arliss Dickerson's college ministry books are available at amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

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